Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer security and, more specifically but not exclusively, to techniques using personal identification numbers (PINs) to limit access to computer-based systems, such as automated teller machine (ATM) systems and the like, to authorized individuals.
Description of the Related Art
This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the invention. Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is prior art or what is not prior art.
As a security measure, a conventional automated teller machine requires a user to enter a four-digit PIN (personal identification number) code before withdrawing cash or conducting other banking operations. In order to inhibit third parties from illicitly acquiring user PIN codes by viewing users entering their PIN codes, conventional ATM machines do not allow users to enter their PIN codes using a touch-screen monitor. Instead, conventional ATM machines require users to enter their PIN codes on keypads which make it harder for third parties to see the digits being entered by users. Moreover, to prevent electronic eavesdropping of the PIN codes, the keypads of conventional ATM machines are configured with sophisticated encoding algorithms that encode the four-digit PIN codes into longer encoded values for transmission to the remote banking subsystem. Notwithstanding these security measures, there remains the serious risk of third parties viewing or video recording users entering their PIN codes into ATM machines.